Sehwag retires from international cricket NEW DELHI, India (AP): Virender Sehwag, one of only four players to score two triple-centuries in Tests, retired from international cricket on his 37th birthday yesterday, more than two years after he last played for India. The big-hitting batsman, who redefined batting at the top of the order along with Australia’s Matthew Hayden, made the announcement on Twitter. Sehwag scored 309 against Pakistan in Multan in 2004 and 319 against South Africa in Chennai in 2008 to join Donald Bradman, Brian Lara and Chris Gayle in scoring two triple-centuries in Tests. Not afraid to clobber the first ball he faced in an innings, Sehwag often got to a half-century or century with a boundary hit. He even reached his Multan triple-century with a six. Sehwag aggregated 8,586 runs from 104 Tests with 23 centuries, 8,273 runs from 251 one-day internationals with 15 centuries, and 394 runs in 19 Twenty20s. Shaun and Mitch Marsh named in Cricket Australia XI CANBERRA, Australia (AP): Australia’s cricket selectors will give more hopefuls a chance to press Test claims when they play for a Cricket Australia XI in a two-day match against New Zealand starting on Sunday. Brothers Shaun and Mitchell Marsh were drafted into the side yesterday, giving the selectors a chance to assess other batting options ahead of the first Test against New Zealand starting in Brisbane on November 5. Several Test prospects have already been named in a Prime Minister’s XI to meet the Kiwis in a one-day match at Manuka Oval on Friday. Batsmen Usman Khawaja, Joe Burns, Cameron Bancroft and Adam Voges will be able to further press their Test claims after also playing in Friday’s one-day match. ICC withdraws umpire Aleem Dar after right-wing party threat NEW DELHI, India (AP): The International Cricket Council (ICC)on Monday withdrew umpire Aleem Dar of Pakistan from the remainder of the limited-overs series between India and South Africa after a group it described as “extremist” threatened to prevent him from officiating in the last game in Mumbai. “Under the present circumstances, it will be unreasonable to expect from Aleem that he will be able to perform his duties to the best of his abilities,” the ICC said in a statement. “As such, he has been withdrawn and his replacement will be announced in due course.” Dar officiated in the first three games of the five one-day international series, which South Africa lead 2-1, and was also due to stand in the fourth game in Chennai tomorrow and in Mumbai on Sunday. Shiv Sena, which has a strong presence in Mumbai, has in the past opposed cricketing ties with Pakistan, which is blamed by India for terrorist attacks on its soil. ICC to look at using green-yellow balls in Tests LONDON, England (AP): The head of cricket’s ruling body says that “greeny yellow” balls could be used in Test matches when bad light threatens to end the day’s play. Dave Richardson, chief executive of the International Cricket Council, was quoted as telling Monday’s edition of The Times that a different colour to the red ball currently used would help Test cricket under floodlights. A pink ball will be used in the inaugural day-night Test between Australia and New Zealand starting November 27 in Adelaide. Richardson says, “Long term, we will probably end up with a pink or greeny-yellow ball so that we can play under floodlights, if the different coloured ball is good enough.” A white ball is used during limited-overs cricket.read more